


Food Baby

by SeashellDestihell



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe, Established Castiel/Dean Winchester, Established Relationship, Fluff, Pregnant Castiel, Trans Castiel, Trans Character, techinically mpreg
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-24
Updated: 2017-01-11
Packaged: 2018-09-02 00:07:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,298
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8643487
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SeashellDestihell/pseuds/SeashellDestihell
Summary: Written for a prompt on tumblr that asked for Cas trying to hide his pregnancy during Thanksgiving dinner with the family.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Original prompt from tumblr user wiccastiel: think about cas being ~9/10 weeks pregnant on thanksgiving and having to make it through this little family get together with just horrible morning sickness and fatigue, not to mention the added discomfort of how tight his clothes have gotten recently…but he and dean aren’t ready to tell people just yet, so they spend the entire time trying way too hard to act like everything is completely normal — e.g. dean trying to cover for cas while he runs outside to (discretely) go puke behind the neighbours hydrangeas, or cas just making awkwardly casual remarks about his weight… think about it
> 
> The prompt is from two years ago but you know what? I'm a slow fucking writer so whatever. There is a second chapter in the works, but I thought posting this would force me to finish it so here we go.

When Dean wakes up it’s to an empty bed and the muffled sounds of retching coming from the en-suite. He spares only a moment to glance at the still dark window before throwing off the covers and shuffling into the bathroom.

“Hey, gorgeous,” he murmurs to his fiancé, who sits hunched over the toilet and panting, on his way to the sink. Castiel whimpers pitifully in response until Dean presses a cool, wet washcloth against the back of his neck.

“I didn’t mean to wake you,” Cas murmurs, his normally deep voice sounding even deeper given the recent hell it’s been through. Dean passes him a glass of water and cards a hand through Cas’ sweat-matted hair. He refills the glass when Cas hands it back to him and then settles next to him on the floor.

“I told you to wake me, babe,” Dean tells him softly, careful not to sound scolding since in addition to the morning sickness Cas has picked up the ability to go from ok to crying in about .2 seconds. Castiel sniffles in response.

“I know,” is all he says so Dean doesn’t push the issue. Instead Dean settles his hand low on Castiel’s stomach and rubs gentle, soothing circles there.

“You wanna give your dad a break there, little guy?” Dean asks the barely noticeable bump, “for turkey day, at least?” Castiel groans and shoves Dean away.

“Don’t talk about food,” he grumbles, pressing his face to the cool porcelain of the toilet. Dean hums in apology and flips the washcloth around on Castiel’s neck.

“We can always call in sick,” Dean suggests after they’ve sat in silence for several minutes. It’s not the first time he’s suggested it, and Castiel reacts the same way he had all those other times.

“My mother would never forgive us,” Castiel tells him, again.

“Babe, if we just—”

“Dean,” Castiel says and Dean sighs, too.

“Yeah, I know,” he says in defeat. “And you’re right, I’m just so… happy, Cas. I’m happy. And I want to tell the whole freakin’ world about our kid because they’re gonna be the best kid out there.” Castiel blushes and ducks his head.

“Do you think you can hold out for a couple more weeks?” Castiel tries to sound sarcastic, but Dean can see the smile he’s hiding so he doesn’t even mind.

“Yeah, I can probably manage,” he teases back. Dean leans over to place a kiss on Castiel’s sweaty forehead and gets batted away for his efforts.

“Dean, that’s disgusting,” Castiel grimaces. Dean just rolls his eyes and stands, reaching down to help Castiel once he’s done so.

“So shower then, you baby. I’m gonna head to the kitchen; you want me to make you anything?” Castiel frowns up at the dark sky visible through the bathroom skylight. Dean chuckles at his expression. “You can go back to sleep if you want,” he offers, “or you can join me in the kitchen after your shower while I whip up some delicious—?”

“French toast,” Castiel tells him with one last forlorn look at the night sky. “I want French toast. The kind with lots of egg.”

“French toast. Gotcha.” Dean stays just long enough to make sure Castiel isn’t going to trip and fall trying to step out of his pajamas and then he makes his way downstairs to the kitchen.

French toast is simple enough to whip up and thankfully they have all the ingredients on hand, even the specially labeled pasteurized eggs Dean bought just to be safe, so Dean doesn't have to do much more than throw them together and wait for everything to cook. He flips through the articles Cas had sent to his phone on what foods Castiel should be avoiding this Thanksgiving to make sure he's memorized them all before they see the Winchesters later today and the Novaks on Thanksgiving.

Castiel wanders into the kitchen a little over half an hour later just as Dean is plating the food. He looks around faux-casually until Dean catches him looking and laughs.

“The pickles are in the fridge,” he tells Cas, who manages to look chagrined and thankful at the same time. “I didn’t know if you were still on that.” Castiel shrugs and takes the jar to his seat at the table.

“It’s not me; it’s the baby,” he tells Dean seriously and digs into his breakfast with gusto. Dean laughs and joins Cas at the table.

"Did you ask Hannah about the turkey?" Dean asks while they eat. Castiel's sister Hannah is the only person in either of their families who knows about the pregnancy. Dean fought long and hard for Cas to tell Hannah since, as a doctor, she might be able to help and would know better than to breach doctor-patient confidentiality. Castiel swallows his food and nods.

"She said she would bring a store-bought turkey just to be safe."

"Good. That's good."

"If I can manage to eat it," Castiel says making a face. Dean chuckles and they continue eating in mostly silence. Dean finds it's nice, in its own way, to be awake and sharing a meal with Castiel while the rest of the world is asleep. It reminds him of their college days when they would stay up cramming until the first dinning hall on campus opened.

“You wanna take a nap before we head out?” Dean asks an hour later when they’re clearing the table.

“I thought we weren’t leaving until after noon,” Castiel says back with a frown. Dean shrugs while he loads the dishwasher.

“Why not? We’re up already.” Castiel sighs and concedes the point. “C’mon. We’re spending the night at my mom’s, remember? It won’t be that bad.”

“Fine.” Castiel rolls his eyes. “But I am taking a nap first!”

 

* * *

 

 

The drive to Illinois is long and only made longer by Castiel’s not infrequent requests for bathroom stops, but they make it in decent time, which is a blessing since Castiel’s constant complaining that the impala is “too drafty” has Dean just about ready to climb the walls.

“Cas, for the last time: I’m not getting a new car!” Dean exclaims just as the reach the front door of his childhood home and the porch light flicks on.

“Fine. I just think that’s really selfish of you,” Castiel says and sniffles loudly. Dean’s breath catches. Fuck. He’s not about to cry here is he? _Here?_ In front of Dean’s moms and—

“Boys!” Mary exclaims, opening the front door and bringing their argument to a halt. “I thought I heard the impala. C’mon in out of the cold!” Castiel shuffles past Mary in the doorway without so much as a hug hello leaving Dean to smile and shrug awkwardly at her bewildered expression.

“We, uh, we were just,” but Dean doesn’t really know what to say about it so he trails off and shrugs again. Mary frowns and nods sympathetically.

“It’s a long drive,” she offers and Dean nods along like that’s the problem. “Come in! You’re letting the heat out,” Mary jokes, waving Dean inside. He hugs her and places a kiss on her forehead that makes her laugh and hug him back just as tightly.

“Are we in my old room again?” Dean asks.

“Got it in one. Sam and Jess arrived this morning and Jo got in about an hour before you,” she tells him as they make their way through the house to Dean’s childhood bedroom. The door is shut, but the light bleeds out from under it letting them know that Castiel is probably inside. Mary shoots Dean a sympathetic smile and turns back around the way they came. Dean waits until she turns the corner into the kitchen to knock. Castiel doesn’t answer, but he doesn’t tell Dean to go away either so Dean tries the knob and finds it unlocked.

Castiel is lying face down on the bed inside.

“Cas?” Dean asks softly, “you ok, buddy?” Castiel shakes his head without lifting it. Dean sighs and shuts the door behind him. He walks over and seats himself on the bed next to Cas. “Cas? What’s wrong? You really want me to get a new car that badly? Can’t we just use yours?”

“Of c-course, w-we c-c-can,” Castiel stutters through a sob. “I’m s-s-sorry. Please don’t leave m-me, Dean.” He turns to face Dean and Dean’s heart breaks at the pleading look in Cas’ red eyes.

“Hey, baby,” Dean soothes, “I’m not leaving you. No one is leaving anyone. We can get a new car if you really think we need it, Cas, but the impala is safe and there’re plenty more important things we’re gonna need to spend that money on. But we can make it work if you think we need to.” Castiel shakes his head as more tears trail down his cheeks.

“I-I cried in front of your mom,” he says in a whisper, like it’s some kind of shameful secret.

“Don’t worry about it. She probably thinks it’s my fault,” Dean meant that to be placating, but it just makes Castiel scrunch up his face and start crying again.

“But it’s not your fault,” he cries, “you’re so good, Dean. You’re so good. You’re gonna be such a good dad.”

“Cas,” Dean says in alarm. “Hey, sweetheart, it’s gonna be ok. You don’t have to cry.” Castiel tugs at Dean’s sleeve until Dean flops down on the bed with him and then proceeds to bury his face against Dean’s shoulder.

“You’re so good,” Cas repeats into the material of Dean’s coat.

“You’re good too, Cas,” Dean tells him. He kisses the crown of Castiel’s head once before pulling away slightly to meet his eyes.

“You wanna take a nap before we go out and greet everyone?” Castiel blushes and looks away.

“I took a nap before we left,” he says, but it’s not a no so Dean knows he got him.

“I have it on a pretty good authority that growing a human being is very tiring work,” he teases and Castiel merely hums in response. “But if you don’t want to, suit yourself. Me? I could go for a nap right about now.” Dean closes his eyes and shimmies to get comfortable. It’s quiet, but Dean can feel Cas staring at him as he sniffles.

“You don’t want to go say hi to Sam?”

“Nah. Sam will be there in an hour.” Castiel falls silent for a moment.

“OK,” he says at last. Dean smiles and gets comfortable for real.

“OK then,” Dean agrees.

 

* * *

 

Castiel wakes queasy, but manages it by lying in stillness for a while. Once he’s sure it’s passed, he nudges Dean awake.

“Mm?”

“Dean,” Castiel hisses. He really has to go to the bathroom, but he doesn’t want to risk meeting any Winchesters in the hallway without backup. Especially since he knows his face and eyes must be puffy and red from crying. “Dean, wake up.” Dean blinks his eyes open groggily.

“Yeah?”

“I have to pee.” Dean groans and pushes himself up from the bed.

“You remember where the bathroom is?” he asks just to be sure to which Castiel nods. Dean cracks his back and nods back. “OK. Everyone’s probably in the kitchen so I’ll meet you there when you’re done. You hungry? Still avoiding olives?” Castiel nods.

“And peppers.”

“Which ones?”

“All of them.” Dean raises his eyebrows.

“OK. Pass on all peppers and olives. But yes to pickles.” He gives Castiel a kiss and then helps him up so that they can both head out of the door.

Dean places a hand against Castiel’s chest to hold him back while he checks left and right outside of the door, then signals that it’s ok for Cas to exit. Castiel rolls his eyes fondly at Dean’s cheeky grin and goes left towards the nearest bathroom while Dean makes a right towards the kitchen. His fiancé is such a dork. Castiel locks the door behind himself and sits down the pee.

Meanwhile, Dean finds his family in the kitchen like he knew he would. He hugs his stepmom, Ellen, and gives her daughter a noogie as is his duty as a big brother.

“Dean!” Jo scowls and shoves him away. She runs her hands through her hair to try to fix it.

“You seem to be in a better mood,” Mary notes with a laugh. Dean smiles sheepishly back at her.

“Yeah, just tired, I think,” he lies, “we left pretty early trying to beat traffic. Guess we should’ve just slept in.” Ellen sets a slice of her homemade pie in front of Dean and smooths his hair back.

“Well we’re glad you’re back early,” she insists. Dean feels his ears heat, so he looks down at the pie to distract himself. He moans when he takes a bite.

“You know, Ellen, if you hadn’t married my mom a few years back, I might have proposed to you myself,” he tells her.

“Ew gross, Dean,” Jo complains, but Dean just smirks back at her, unrepentant.

“I wish you two all the happiness in the world,” Castiel deadpans from the doorway. Dean throws another smile over his shoulder in Cas’ direction. Castiel’s shirt is wrinkled something awful, but Dean can’t help thinking he looks cute and sleepy and it hits him all over again just how much he loves Cas.

“Eh, I think I made an OK choice,” he teases and scoots over in his chair so Castiel can share it with him. Castiel cocks an eyebrow at him, but accepts the empty space and the bite of pie Dean offers him.

“Ugh this family is disgusting,” Jo grouses making both couples in the kitchen crack up.

“Now, Jo, you wouldn’t be sitting there all alone if you just brought Pamela back home to meet the family for once,” Ellen tells her, piquing Dean’s interest.

“Pamela? Who’s Pamela?” Jo groans.

“Mom, for the last time: we’re not dating,” she insists, but before Dean can ask again, there’s a commotion outside and the Winchesters’ dog comes bounding in followed closely by Sam and Jess.

“Sammy! And Jess!” Castiel watches in amusement as Dean practically launches himself off the chair to hug his brother and sister-in-law.

When Castiel had first joined the family, the fact that the Winchesters were so much more tactile than his own family had confused him and occasionally made him a little nervous. He wasn’t used to getting hugs for things as simple as showing up or giving someone a gift, though he supposes he should have expected it given how Dean is; he had to learn it from somewhere. Castiel fully intends to use that past discomfort to his advantage today. Instead of standing to greet Sam and Jess, he smiles awkwardly up at Jess, who leans in to kiss him on the cheek, but doesn’t pressure him to stand for a hug. Sam follows her lead and Castiel has successfully avoided coming in bodily contact with anyone who might notice the press of a baby bump under his sweaters for another day.

 

* * *

 

Dinner that night is a sort of un-official Thanksgiving since tomorrow Dean and Cas will be at the Novak’s for the actual holiday. They don’t eat turkey, but there’s good food and a lot of it. Sam and Dean help Ellen bring out the extra chairs from the garage while Jo and Mary set the table, then everyone sits down to eat together.

“Since we have everyone gathered, we have an announcement to make,” Sam says suddenly, quieting the whole table. He looks at Jess who is blushing and won’t meet anyone’s eyes. “You want to tell them?”

“They’re your family,” Jess insists.

“What? Tell us what?” Mary looks excitedly between the couple as Ellen takes her hand and squeezes.

“Give ‘em a minute, Mary,” Ellen laughs. She turns her serene smile on Sam and Jess who seem to take strength from it.

“I’m pregnant!” Jess gushes and everyone at the table practically squeals in excitement and stands to hug the happy couple. Everyone except for Dean who chokes on the drink of water he was taking.

“Jesus,” he coughs as Ellen slaps him on the back. “That’s awesome, guys.” Jess’ nervous smile turns more relieved now that everyone is congratulating them.

“My first grandchild!” Mary exclaims, hugging Jess to her. Dean stifles a cough and refuses to meet Castiel’s eyes and give them away.

“How far along are you?” he asks nonchalantly once they’re all back in their seats. Mary is wiping at her eyes while Ellen rubs her back soothingly. Castiel pinches Dean under the table.

“The doctor said probably only a month or two,” she tells them. Dean turns to smirk at Castiel, who looks less than impressed. They got Sam and Jess beat by a full month.

“Well don’t get too comfy in that first grandchild spot,” Dean jokes, squeezing Cas’ hand under the table to tell him to relax, “that still gives Cas an’ me a full 8 months to go out and adopt a rugrat of our own. You down, Cas?” Castiel sighs. To anyone else it must look slightly exasperated, but Dean knows it’s a touch relieved. He squeezes Cas’ hand again to say sorry and this time Cas squeezes back.

“If you’re so determined to be first at everything.”

“Hey! It’s my job as a big brother!” Castiel laughs and shakes his head. Jess sticks her tongue out at Dean from across the table.

 

* * *

 

“How do you like that,” Dean asks later that night once they’ve retired to their room. Castiel just hums in response. “They totally stole our thunder!” Castiel snorts. Dean tosses him a sweater from their suitcase without being asked and Castiel pulls it on over his pajama top. “Unbelievable!”

“Dean, not so loud.”

“Sorry, babe.” Dean shucks his day clothes and climbs under the covers with Cas. They lie in silence for a bit, Dean pressing his cold nose to Castiel’s neck and Castiel pressing his cold toes against Dean’s warm calves, before Castiel breaks it.

“You’re not mad are you?” he asks. Cas watches Dean’s eyelashes flutter as his eyes blink open.

“Mad? About what?” His lips drag along Castiel’s collarbone as he speaks and Castiel’s breath hitches.

“A-about the—the,” Castiel trails off as Dean continues pressing kisses to his neck.

“Cas?”

“The baby. And me not wanting to tell anyone yet,” he finishes and blushes bright red, unsure if it’s from embarrassment at being so turned on by some light necking or being scared to talk about the baby.

“No, Cas, of course I’m not mad.” Dean pulls away enough to look Cas in the eye to make sure he understands. Castiel nods.

“OK,” he says before darting in to press his lips firmly to Dean’s. “We can talk about this later.” Dean gives him a puzzled look until Cas drags Dean’s hand down between his legs. Now it’s Dean’s turn to go red.

“Here?!” he whisper-yells. Castiel nods and ruts against his hand. In all the years they’ve been returning to the Winchester family home together, Dean has maintained a strict no-sex-in-my-childhood-bedroom policy, but the pregnancy hormones have Cas desperate in a way he hasn’t been since he first started testosterone.

“Please,” he whimpers and Dean spares one last, nervous look around the room before he rolls them over so that Cas is lying beneath him.

“God you’re going to kill me one of these days,” Dean mutters, but proceeds to slip his fingers underneath Castiel’s boxer briefs. “Try not to be too loud. My parents are down the hall.” Castiel reaches up with one free hand to cover his own mouth and nods eagerly. His eyes roll back in his head a little as Dean fingers him. “God you’re so wet,” Dean growls. Castiel whimpers around his fist. “So hot, Cas. How much you want it. Can’t even wait two days until we’re back home, can you, sweetheart?” Castiel shakes his head, eyes scrunched tightly closed, and bites his knuckles hard. “Yeah? Gonna come on my fingers, Cas? Want it so bad you can’t even wait for my cock?” Castiel tries to hold in his moan as best he can as he comes over Dean’s fingers. Dean pulls out and settles down next to Cas. He reaches blindly over his shoulder from some tissues.

“Dean,” Castiel sighs and Dean can’t help how wide it makes him smile to hear Cas relaxed and fucked out.

“Good?” he teases to which Castiel hums and rolls onto his side to kiss Dean lazily.

“I’m very tired,” Cas yawns, “can I make it up to you tomorrow?” Dean laughs.

“Yeah get some sleep.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thanksgiving with the Novaks

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, sorry this is super late. Finals and holidays and stuff, ugh. Quick note: there is discussion of Cas’ identity as a trans man in this chapter. It is representative of only one person’s (Cas’) identity and not a comment on transness as a whole as there are many ways to be trans. Each individual is different, some people do feel they identify as one gender and later another or multiple other genders and that is OK. It is also OK to feel like one gender your entire life as Cas does in this fic. There is not wrong way to be trans.
> 
> Just needed to be clear about that, now on to the fic.

Dean is slightly disoriented when he wakes and doesn’t hear Castiel throwing up until he remembers that the nearest bathroom is down the hall. He sits bolt upright in bed, ready to race after Cas as quietly as he can, when he hears muffled sobbing coming from Cas’ side of the bed.

“Cas?” he peeks over the bed to see Cas huddled on the floor, wearing boxers and an undershirt and clutching a pair of dress pants to him. “Babe, what’s wrong?” Castiel hiccups and swipes at his eyes. He throws the pants over his shoulder and Dean fumbles to catch them. He turns them over in his hands, studying them, but nothing seems amiss. “Babe, I don’t unders—”

“I’m fat,” Castiel hisses, finally lowering his arms so Dean can see his face. “I’m fat and I’m ugly and none of my clothes fit. And you’re going to leave me because I’m fat and disgusting—”

“Whoa, Cas! What? Calm down.”

“They don’t fit! None of the pants I brought fit! We can’t go.” Dean takes a deep breath to process that.

“OK. That’s fine. Did you try the ones I brought?” Castiel sniffles once, then look away bashfully.

“No...” Dean stands and rummages through his side of the suitcase. He brought a pair of grey pants and a pair of black ones as backup.

“Here,” he offers the black ones to Cas who stumbles forward and tries them on. Thankfully, the close, but the hems drag a little on the ground. Dean nods to himself. The clock on his nightstand reads 7:30 am, so they still have plenty of time. He rummages through his old desk until he finds the pocket-sized sewing kit he took to college, then bends down to start pinning the hems of Cas’ pants up. When he’s done, he stands and smiles at Cas.

“Why don’t you get back into your pajamas, and go have breakfast with Ellen? I’m sure she’s up. I’ll hem these, then join you.” Castiel hesitates. “Something else on your mind, babe?”

“You, uh,” Castiel stutters, voice back to its normally deep and calming pitch. “Do you think I’m too fat?” Dean almost wants to laugh the very suggestion, but Cas looks so fragile right now that he holds it in.

“Dude, you’re wearing my pants and they fit—and I’m not the one carrying around a-whole-nother person. I should be asking you that.” Castiel frowns and looks briefly down at his pants.

“You’re not fat, Dean,” he says seriously, making Dean’s heart flutter.

“Thanks. Right back attcha.” Castiel smiles, slightly chagrinned. “Now go eat, I’ll be there in a bit.”

Since he’s putting in a temporary hem and not removing the old one, it only takes twenty minutes before Dean is finished, dressed, and exiting the bedroom for the kitchen. Castiel is seated at the table with Jess and Ellen picking at an omelet.

“There one is,” Ellen says with a laugh. She stands to kiss Dean good morning and grab the coffee pot. “We were just starting to worry that the Winchesters were gonna sleep the day away.”

“What? Sam’s not up yet?” Dean tries not to look too smug. Jess stands and stretches with a sigh.

“He wanted to sleep it, but I should probably wake him now.” She stretches up on her toes to kiss Dean’s cheek on her way out of the room. Ellen hands him a fresh cup of coffee and sets the creamer down next to it.

“You want an omelet too, honey?” Ellen calls over her shoulder, already on the way to the kitchen. Dean raises his eyebrows at Cas, who quickly pushes his plate towards Dean.

“Just scrambled if you don’t mind, Ma,” he calls back, leveling a look at Castiel that says that after this morning’s talk, Cas is eating something. Castiel sighs, but acquiesces with a slight inclination of his head.

“There are peppers in this,” he whispers conspiratorially to Dean. Dean chuckles and scoops room temperature eggs onto his fork.

“Well you don’t usually mind,” he tells Cas through a mouthful of egg, “but you could have just said.”

“I don’t feel right telling your stepmother to prepare me breakfast, you know that. I told her not to make me anything, but she insisted.” Dean figured as much, both Mary and Ellen were the kind of doting parents always making sure no one went hungry.

Ellen enters the room shortly after carrying a plate of eggs and sautéed potatoes. Dean thanks her and tries to drum up a distraction to make so he can switch plates with Cas.

“Mom’s not up yet?” he asks, filching the pieces of peppers Cas has managed to pick out of his omelet and set aside off Castiel’s plate.

“Not since last I saw her.”

“Jo either?” Ellen levels Dean with a suspicious look.

“Now what’s got you so interested in other people’s sleep schedule’s all of a sudden? Lord knows you’ve been known to sleep in on occasion, too.”

“Nothin’. Just wanted to say good bye to everyone before we head out,” Dean lies. Ellen stares him down for a handful of seconds more before she folds.

“Alright. I’ll go get ‘em. Don’t… do anything weird.” Castiel snorts beside Dean at the accusation, making Dean throw him an affronted look. He shrugs it off.

“I have half a mind to eat these now,” Dean grumps once Ellen is out of the room, but Castiel just rolls his eyes and swaps their plates.

“No you don’t. You’re just like your mothers—constantly feeding everyone.”

“I’m not sure if I should be offended by that or not,” Dean huffs. Castiel bumps their shoulders together conciliatorily.

“It wasn’t meant to be an insult.”

They eat in silence, quick to clean their plates before Ellen returns. Dean is just rinsing their dishes in the sink when Mary and Jo make it down the stairs flanked by Ellen, the former more gracefully than the latter who goes straight for the fridge with a groan.

“You couldn’t have just left?” she grouches.

“Nah. You’d miss me too much,” Dean says with a smile that makes Jo grumble louder and sock him in the arm on her way past.

“Doubtful.”

Castiel sneaks out of the kitchen while Dean and Jo bicker. The slacks Dean had hemmed at laid out on the bed next to the bulky sweater Castiel hopes will cushion and hide his slight stomach. His family isn’t exactly the hugging type, but it would be just his luck for them to start now.

Dean slips into the bedroom while Cas’ still getting dressed to get ready himself and by ten o’clock they’re ready at the front door saying goodbye to the Winchester family.

Cas’ parents live roughly two hours away with traffic so the drive isn’t nearly as unmanageable as the drive from home to the Winchesters’ was. Cas is still trying to figure out if Dean tossed him the picnic blanket they keep in the trunk as a thoughtful gesture or to shut him up when they pull up outside the Novak residence.

“Ready?” Dean asks and Castiel decides the blanket doesn’t matter.

“I have to be.” Dean frowns at that, but merely watches as Castiel folds up the blanket and laying it on the bench seat. They exit the car together and Dean grabs Cas’ hand to hold while they walk up the driveway.

“Cas!” Hannah answers the door with an uncharacteristically large smile for her and wraps her brother in a hug. “I’m glad I got to you first,” she tells him smugly. Her eyes dart down to his stomach obscured by his coat and sweater. “Are you…” she doesn’t seem to know how to finish that sentence so Castiel has mercy on her.

“Barely. Dean assures me you can’t tell with my sweater on.” Hannah looks slightly put out by that, but not surprised.

“Of course.” She smiles, but it’s a more subdued smile that when she first greeted them. “So, the turkey you can eat is the smaller one. I put it off to the side a little, but no one should have any reason to eat it since Mom has a nice huge one in the middle of the counter. I assume you got the articles I sent you?” At Castiel’s nod she continues, “OK, great. There’s dressing in the fridge. Don’t eat the cheese spread.”

“Hannah, why are you keeping your brother outside in the cold?” Dean, Cas, and Hannah all turn to watch the Novak family matriarch walk down the hallway. “Don’t be rude.” Hannah smiles apologetically and steps aside for Dean and Cas to enter.

Hannah’s two boys streak past them laughing on their way to the living room.

“Abner! Inias! No running in the house!” Hannah calls and chases after them leaving Dean and Cas alone in the hallway with Naomi.

“It’s lovely to see you again, Ms. Novak.” Dean checks himself before he reaches out to hug her and instead offers her the pie they brought with them. She smiles and takes it and Dean represses the urge to shudder. Naomi has never been anything but polite to him, but Dean can’t help feeling like he’s a bug she’d happily squash given the chance.

“Come. Everyone’s in the kitchen.”

* * *

 

They manage to make it all the way through lunch before Castiel gets restless. Castiel isn’t one to pat himself on the back, but he thinks he’s done admiringly well for someone who is feeling in turns ravenous and nauseated. He’s even managed not to cling suspiciously close to Dean, but that ends up maybe not being the best decision when one minute he’s having a chat with his cousin, Balthazar, and the next he notices Dean playing with his niece, Hael, in the living room.

“Earth to Cas?” Balthazar interrupts, startling Castiel from his daydream. “Oh-ho I know that look,” Balthazar laughs, looking between Castiel and Dean. Castiel blushes crimson. “Bela had that same look before she started dropping hints about adoption. Are you thinking about your own mini protégées, perhaps?”

“What? No!” Castiel fights the urge to cross his arms or leave the room. Balthazar raises his hands in surrender.

“Nothing wrong with it, my dear cousin. Loads of people get bit with the baby bug as they near our… advanced age.” Castiel snorts.

“Thirty years old is hardly ‘advanced age,’ Balthazar.” Squeals of excitement from the living room draw Castiel’s eye back to where Dean is now playing peek-a-boo with the baby. The truth is that he wouldn’t mind so much about being caught thinking about having children with Dean, but that’s not the only thing Castiel is thinking about now. No, ever since they decided to try for a baby, just a glimpse of what Dean might be like with their future kids is enough to press all of Castiel’s buttons. He supposes it must be some kind of survival instinct to breed with a good, potential father, but in modern times it’s more a hindrance than anything that seeing Dean being a good father makes him want to drag Dean upstairs, throw him down on the bed, and ride him until Castiel is pregnant all over again. It doesn’t even make sense; for one thing, it’s not like Castiel can get pregnant _again_ while he’s already pregnant—

“Good Lord, Cassie, just tell him you want his babies,” Balthazar grouses. Castiel shakes himself from his reverie to glare at his cousin.

“Thank you for you input, Balthazar. Please excuse me.” Castiel stands and wanders into the kitchen.

He manages to strike up a light conversation with one of his sisters until he catches sight of Dean in the doorway and he excuses himself.

“Dean.”

“Hey, Cas.” Dean’s smile droops when Castiel won’t let Dean step around him into the kitchen proper. Castiel presses one hand against Dean’s waist and leans in.

“Meet me in the upstairs bathroom in five minutes,” he murmurs into Dean’s ear and pulls away with a smirk. Dean looks slightly alarmed, but it quickly fades into a blush as he works out Cas’ intentions.

“Cas!” he hisses at Castiel’s retreating form, but Castiel doesn’t turn around as he makes his way out of the kitchen and Dean doesn’t want to draw any more attention to them and what they may or may not do several minutes. Dean dallies as long as he can before he gives up and follows Cas upstairs. The Novak family home feels more like a mansion to Dean, but thankfully that means that no one is around to watch him climb the stairs.

“Took you long enough,” Castiel complains, locking the door behind Dean and reeling him in by the collar as soon as Dean is through the door.

“Cas, babe—” Dean tries, but Castiel cuts him off with a kiss. Dean hesitates a moment before giving in and pressing Castiel against the door.

“Kiss me,” Castiel tells him, “Dean, touch me.” Dean groans and presses Castiel harder against the door.

“Cas, you gotta stop talking like that, it’s driving me crazy.”

“Then _do_ something about it, Winchester,” Castiel growls as he reaches between them to undo Dean’s belt and fly. “Dean, _Dean_ ,” Castiel pants when Dean lifts his sweater slightly to run his hands over Castiel’s rounded belly. “Dean, I need you right now.”

“’m here, sweetheart,” Dean mumbles against Castiel’s neck, “you have me.”

“No, I need _you_ ,” Castiel punctuates by slipping his hand into Dean’s pants and squeezing. Dean chokes on a moan.

“OK. Yeah. Good,” Dean gasps with his head on Castiel’s shoulder. “Do you have—” he starts to ask, but Castiel levels him with a glare that makes him cut off with a laugh. “Don’t look at me like that! It makes cleanup easier and you know it.”

“Don’t care,” Castiel says between kisses, “want the mess.” Dean groans and grinds against Cas on instinct.

“Fuck, you are so filthy, angel,” he moans.

* * *

 

Castiel watches Dean wash up from his position propped against the door, smirking when Dean catches his eye in the mirror and blushes.

“Jesus, Cas, take it down a notch; you’re gonna get us caught if you walk out there looking like the cat that got the cream.” Castiel hums and stretches languidly.

“That’s exactly how I feel,” he groans in satisfaction. Dean rolls his eyes and shuts off the water.

“Buddy, you know I love that kind of thing around our friends, but I don’t think I can handle Naomi seeing your post-coital face.” Castiel laughs softly and straightens up.

“Fine, Dean.”

“Thank you.”

The hallway is empty when Dean sticks his head out to check a minute later, so they exit the bathroom and head downstairs together. Cas’ sister, Anna, spots them when they get nearer to the party and strikes up a conversation, but Castiel is feeling particularly ravenous after their little workout, so he excuses himself to the kitchen for a snack before dinner after only a few moments.

Castiel is well aware that the sit-down dinner portion of the Novaks’ Thanksgiving tradition is about to begin, so he limits himself to a small plate of vegetables to snack on. The articles Hannah sent him stressed washing fruits and vegetables thoroughly, so Castiel makes sure to do it himself now. He almost doesn’t hear his brother approach over the rush of the water, but then Gabriel props himself at Castiel’s elbow and makes it impossible to ignore him.

“Dean-o must be feeding you alright, huh, kiddo?” Gabriel teases. Castiel barely manages to not drop his food.

“I don’t know what you mean,” he says as dispassionately as he can muster. He places the freshly scrubbed carrots back on his plate and shuts the water off with practiced nonchalance. Gabriel snorts.

“Please. You’re talking to the master of disguise. I can totally tell you’re getting chubby under that sweater, you know.” Castiel tries not to breathe out a sigh of relief. Chubby he can work with.

“It’s incredibly rude to comment on a person’s weight, Gabriel.”

“Wrong again. It’s rude to comment on a _woman_ ’s weight, which you aren’t anymore.”

“ _Gabriel_ ,” Castiel warns. While Castiel’s family had taken to his coming out well as a whole, there were still areas that left much to be desired.

“Sorry, we’re not supposed to acknowledge that, right?” Castiel turns to look at Gabriel fully as Gabriel cocks his hip and leans against the counter. His expression is unreadable, but his body language is loose and relaxed.

“It’s not that,” he says with a resigned sigh. His recent orgasm has left him feeling more generous than usual, so he continues. “It’s an incorrect statement. I was never a ‘woman’—not even before I came out. I have always been who I am now.” Gabriel frowns.

“Bullshit. You were my kid sister for—”

“No. I really wasn’t. I was uncomfortable and playing a roll I thought had to be played.” Castiel grabs his plate and excuses himself before Gabriel can speak again. He really needs to learn not to let his family corner him while he can’t drink.

“Do I need to punch someone?” Dean leans over to ask when Castiel joins him at the table. Castiel considers his fiancé.

“You really would wouldn’t you?”

“What? Punch someone? Yeah, Cas, just say the word.”

“You’d fight my family for me? At their house?”

“I’d fight ‘em all at the same time.” Castiel laughs and presses a kiss to Dean’s cheek.

“How very noble of you, Dean Winchester.”

“I got the chariot waiting outside, baby.”

* * *

 

Hannah had apparently nipped out an hour ago before the stores closed and grabbed a freshly cooked chicken for Cas—“They were out of turkey, I apologize, Castiel”—after claiming the prepared turkey was not to Inias’ taste. Thankfully with the Novaks being who they are, the dishes from lunch that have been sitting out for hours now are turned away and the kitchen staff who elected to stay on for the holiday cart out a new turkey (which Castiel still can’t eat) and wealth of newly prepared side dishes (which Castiel gladly takes from).

Dinner goes surprisingly well. Gabriel seems annoyed still from the conversation he had earlier with Castiel in the kitchen, so he doesn’t speak to them throughout dinner. Michael, the eldest Novak sibling, is, as usual, only concerned with Dean’s research for work. The rest of Castiel’s siblings and cousins and nieces and nephews carry on polite if at times stilted conversation with the couple which to Castiel marks it as similar to any other family gathering they’ve had since came out.

It’s not perfect, of course. Castiel’s aunt Amara insists that Castiel try a bit of the dish that she made herself and Castiel only finds out a bite too late that it has yellow peppers in it. He dutifully swallows it and lies through his teeth about how good it tastes, but gives Dean a look that has his fiancé remembering a made up dish they must have left in the car. Castiel snatches the keys as quickly as is polite and rushes outside to puke in a pile of raked leaves.

Aunt Amara is deep in conversation with Michael when Castiel returns emptyhanded and Dean has cleared the offending food off his plate.

“Castiel,” his mother’s voice rings clear across the table causing several conversations to pause and their contributors to turn their attention to Castiel in interest, “aren’t you going to have any wine?”

“No, I—” Castiel pauses, unsure how to respond. He could say he’s driving, but then he might be forced to actually drive the Impala out of the neighborhood when they leave and anyway Dean’s been noticeably not drinking as well (in solidarity with Cas, he says).

“I’m on a diet,” is what comes out of his mouth after several intense seconds. Naomi raises her eyebrows at that while Gabriel snorts from his spot across the table. “Alcohol contains a large number of Calories and I’m… trying to cut back.”

“Well, heavens, Castiel,” Naomi places her silverware down to give Castiel her full attention, “I noticed you put on a little weight, of course, but I didn’t think it was as bad as warranting a _diet_.” Castiel shrugs and smiles awkwardly at his mother. “We’ll talk about this later,” she declares, seeming to finally notice that most of the family has stopped conversing to pay attention to their exchange across the table. Castiel dearly hopes she’ll forget before the night is through. Dean squeezes his knee beneath the table.

“Feelin’ tired, babe?” Dean leans over to ask directly into Castiel’s ear. Cas nods bad stiffly. His knee is released with a parting pat.

“We should be heading out soon,” Dean announces to the table causing Anna and Samandriel to gasp.

“But… we haven’t even had dessert yet.” Dean tries not to be self-conscious that that’s what the Novaks know him for.

“Yeah, but it’s getting late and we have quite the drive.” Hannah nods sympathetically.

“I’ll make a to-go plate in the kitchen,” she offers. Since Castiel’s family members aren’t big huggers, Dean and Cas rise from the table and shake a few hands on their way to joining Hannah in the kitchen. It was mostly a cover to get some alone time with the Winchesters before they leave, but Hannah also has a Tupperware container packed with slices of two kinds of pie and several other desserts when they arrive.

“You’ll call if you need absolutely anything, won’t you, Cas?” Hannah asks before handing off the Tupperware container Dean promises is never going to see this kitchen again if it goes home with them. Hannah waves Dean’s comment off, still focused on Cas until he agrees. Castiel looks surprised when she hugs him tightly in response. “It’s so hard being so far away from you right now. Promise me you’re eating right and going to the doctor often.”

“I promise.”

“Good. That’s… that’s very good, Castiel.” They walk together to the coat closet to grab their things and then Hannah sees them out the front door. For a brief moment, Hannah lets the strict doctor look slide off her face to smile softly at Castiel.

“Can I say something selfish?” she whispers conspiratorially. Dean and Cas share a confused look before shrugging. “I hope it’s a boy. I can already tell Haely is going to be too soft to keep up with Abner and Inias.” Dean splutters a laugh at that while Castiel smooths a hand across his sweater.

“We’ll be happy no matter what,” he is all he says. Dean leans over to kiss the crown of Castiel’s head.

“Of course,” Dean agrees with a wink towards Hannah, “and if it’s a girl: we still have a few tries left to get a boy.”

“Dean!” Castiel scolds, slapping him lightly on the arm. Hannah snorts and watches them climb into the Impala. It’s started lightly snowing, but nothing to worry about yet.

It just feels… peaceful.


End file.
